


Ever so, cliche

by ritesofreverie



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Clueless Steve Rogers, Confessions, Elevators, F/M, Feels, Friends With Benefits, Heartbreak, Implied Smut, Love, Oblivious Steve Rogers, Romance, Steve Rogers x Reader - Freeform, Swearing, Unrequited Love, cliches, kind of, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-01-24 19:39:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21343639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ritesofreverie/pseuds/ritesofreverie
Summary: At first, the arrangement between the two of us had been simple. He was single, I was single and we were both two lonely souls trying to find solace in the warmth of another’s body. Except, all the unrealistic romance films and novels that contain this same cliche can never prepare you for the utter heartbreak that follows the “I can’t do this anymore”.Pairings:  Steve Rogers x ReaderWarnings: slight angst, implied smut, swearingRequested by anonymous: “I think I’m in love with you, and that scares the crap out of me” & “Just please be my best friend right now, not the guy I just confessed my love to” with Steve please!!
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Reader
Comments: 14
Kudos: 99





	1. part one

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first request (and upload to AO3), so I hope it’s okay. If you like it and want a second part, please let me know. Also, if you happen to like my writing then please feel free to request something at ritesofreverie.tumblr.com

Falling in love with Steve Rogers was never supposed to happen. Yet here I am, mindlessly swirling my ring finger around the brim of a wine glass, drowning in my self-caused heartache, as I watch him throw his head back and laugh with Bucky and Sam, all pearly whites and crinkled eyes.

It’s been almost a month since the last time we spoke, well, anything that was related outside of a mission anyways. At first, the arrangement between the two of us had been simple. He was single, I was single and we were both two lonely souls trying to find solace in the warmth of another’s body. Except, all the unrealistic romance films and novels that contain this same cliche can never prepare you for the utter heartbreak that follows the “I can’t do this anymore”.

And what hurt even worse, was that he was okay with it. Stupid, perfect, Steve Rogers understood. Not that I had just gone and done the cliche that we used to make fun of hallmark movies for doing, no, he just thought that I wanted to focus on myself and didn’t even bother questioning why. Or fighting for it, for us. _Not that he had any reason to._

Glancing back down to my glass, I quickly swallow the remaining liquid and leave it on the table before grabbing my purse and heading straight for the exit.

I almost make it out before I hear a voice call my name, turning around, I see Nat standing there “Hey! We’re about to cut the cake, are you not staying?”. There’s a hint of sympathy in her tone, even though she would never tell me, I know that she knows exactly why I’m leaving. “Come on, it’s not every day a man turns the big one double o’” she jokes, a small smile tugging on her lips.

“I’m sorry, Nat, I just…” I lose my train of thought as my eyes lock with his. _God_, his eyes seem to shine even brighter with the reflection of the fairy lights Wanda had hung around the room earlier today. He flashes a bright smile, and I feel it cut through my chest. Without reciprocating it, I turn my attention back to her, “I have to go, I’m sorry”.

Rushing out of the room without a second thought, and into the closest elevator, I hit the button for my floor at least twenty times in a bid that it’ll close faster (it doesn’t) and before the double doors close, a hand sticks it way through. My eyes glance up and my breath catches as a ridiculously tall figure joins me and in my shock, I don’t realise the doors have closed before it’s too late.

Stuttering for a few moments, I finally get out “Steve! What are you doing! You need to go back downstairs!” I scold as I try to step around him to try and press the door to open but before I can, he intercepts and presses the red stop button so that a loud screech erupts and the elevator jerks to a stop. “Real mature of you” I mutter under my breath as I stand with my arms folded and back pressed against the wall.

He shrugs, “Yeah well, you’ve been avoiding me. Not like you really gave me another choice”. _Okay, so he noticed._

“Psssh, me? Avoiding you? Why would I do that?”. _Great, totally subtle._

Steve gives me a pointed look, “Well, if I knew the answer to that question we wouldn’t be stuck in an elevator”. I just roll my eyes and look up towards the roof, “Ah silent treatment? Now who’s being mature?”.

“Wow, glad to see you haven’t lost your wit with this new century you’re entering. Speaking of, you know there’s a party on downstairs, _your _party, in which Nat and Tony are probably losing their minds because you aren’t there for the cake” _good, keep deflecting._

Steve sighs as he moves closer to me, “What’s going on with you?”. _That_ makes me look at him, his eyes are staring at me like they’re trying to read every thought that passes through my mind as my eyes dart around the room as a way to not make contact. He continues for point, “You haven’t spoken to me since we, you know, ended things”.

“We spoke yesterday” I defend, feeling my nails dig into the skin on my forearms.

“No, I gave you orders for a mission and you nodded in acknowledgment”, his jaw ticks, one of his only tells that shows his frustration, “Seriously, what’s going on?”. I look down at my fingers and continue to avoid his gaze, “Come on, talk to me”. Gently, I feel his hand rest upon the side of my face and softly motion it upwards so that I have to look at him, “Whatever it is, you can talk to me”. More silence follows as I bite the inside of my cheek and a sigh falls from his mouth as I feel him step closer to me so that there is barely any space left between us, "Please, talk to me. I don't know what I did, but whatever it is, I promise I'll make it up to you", his thumb slowly traces across my cheek, " I miss you".

And truthfully, I don’t know what makes me say it, maybe it's the sincerity in his tone or the genuine expression that crosses his features, but it’s like my brain disconnects from my mouth and without any filter I stumble out, “I think I’m in love with you and it scares the crap out of me”, and my cheek suddenly feels cold.

The super-soldier is wide-eyed, and I watch as the emotions pass over his face, one at a time - shock, confusion, shock again. His once close body goes rigid, and his eyes glaze over and focus on the wall behind me.

Finally, my brain catches up with the secret that has just spilled from my lips, “Oh my god, Steve, shit, I’m so sorry, fuck!” I swallow harshly as the tears build up, waiting for him to say something, anything. “Okay.. okay, it’s okay, you know why? Cause I’m working through it and I know you don’t feel the same and oh fuck, okay, Steve, please just please be my best friend right now, and not the guy I just confessed my love to”. After a few more pauses I press, “Steve?”, and I reach out to place my hand against his cheek so that his focus is back to me. His once bright, cerulean eyes, are now hazy with a mistiness that wasn’t there before.

Ever so gently, I feel his face press into my hand as a search for comfort before he retreats back into himself. Without saying another word, he turns around, hits the elevator button, and I feel myself jolt at the unexpected movement of the elevator.

The doors open, and it’s quiet between the two of us, “Steve?” I whisper, one last prayer of his name as I move to softly grab his shoulder, a plea for him to turn back around. But he leaves the elevator as quickly as he had entered it.

And I’m left in the fragments that hold the pieces of my confession.


	2. part two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of your confession to Steve leads to six weeks of distance between you two, but surely an infamous Stark party, and the help of your best friends can fix it. Right?
> 
> Pairings: steve rogers x reader
> 
> Warnings: lil angst from previous heartbreak, but ends fluffy I promise. also some swearing, nothing major

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you're interested, you can also follow me on tumblr - ritesofreverie.tumblr.com

“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you”.

“Well, you’ve found me” I confirm with a small shrug of my shoulders, as hearing Nat’s voice breaks me out of my musing.

Softly humming, she walks over to stand next to me, her presence a welcoming comfort. “Are you okay? You’ve been, off, lately” she asks, concern lacing through her tone.

“I’m okay” I tell her, but with her pointed look I say, “Really, Nat, I’m okay”.

Raising a perfectly waxed brow she doubtfully replies, “Right, sure, I can pretend like I believe you, if that’s what you want”.

“Nat-”

“Look, I’m just - I’m worried about you, and _him_. The two of you can hardly be in the same room together these days", it’s not a scold, per se, the way she says it, it’s more of a disappointed parent in their child kind of way.

Sighing, I tell her, “I don’t know what you want me to say”.

“Maybe start from the beginning”.

_It had been six weeks since my untimely confession to the star-spangled man. Six weeks of avoiding each other, and six weeks of a numbing pain in my chest, that just won’t go away no matter how much distance I put between us. Too bad Tony had realised that within those six weeks, he hadn’t thrown a party - which was how I ended up in the last possible scenario I ever wanted to be in._

_“Come on, it’ll be fun!” Wanda begs as she stands at the end of my bed with her arms crossed and a pointed look on her face._

_I breathe out a sigh, “I’m sorry, Wands, I only just got back from the mission and I’m just not up for one of Tony’s parties tonight”._

_The witch almost looks sympathetic until she speaks, “Nope, you’ve been wallowing in self-pity for weeks, and don’t think I haven’t noticed the longing gazes between you and cap”._

_I splutter, “Pffffft, me and Steve? Longing gazes? No way”._

_“Ah, yes way, look what you need right now is to get out of your heartache blues-”_

_“Okay you need to stop watching those lifetimes movies with Clint” _

_Ignoring my comment, she continues on, “So to do that, we’re going to put you in your best outfit, fix up your hair because god knows when the last time you did anything but put a brush through it was-”_

_“Hey!”_

_“And most importantly, you are going to spend time with us and have fun!” she exclaims excitedly but at my plain look she sighs and sits down at the foot of my bed, resting a reassuring hand on my leg, “Look bunny, I don’t know what happened between the two of you, and you don’t have to tell me. But I know you miss him, and I know he misses you, so I really think that tonight could be good for you”. Squeezing my leg in comfort she adds, “Please?”_

_“I hate that I can never say no to you” I grumble._

_Wanda claps her hands enthusiastically as she proclaims, “I happen to love it!”_

“And now I’m here, moping on a rooftop terrace” I explain to Nat.

Her lip quirks up, “You and I both know that Wanda is not the reason for your pouting”. As always, the assassin is right, so with a deep breath, I remember the events that followed after entering the party.

_“Look who finally made it out for some fun!” Sam shouts eagerly as he spots me from where he stands with Bucky at the pool table._

_A chuckle leaves my mouth, “Yup, it’s your lucky night Sammy, I’m finally here to watch you lose your money to Buck”._

_“Aw, now that’s just cold” he says as he sticks his bottom lip out before grinning, “We could make this more interesting, there is an extra cue over there”._

_“Yeah, I’m gonna need more alcohol for that” I say with a smile._

_Bucky agrees, “Yeah, I could go for another beer”._

_“Ya know, I don’t get why you drink, it doesn’t even affect you, and there is no way you drink it for the taste” I wonder aloud, and the super soldier chuckles at me._

_“He just drinks it to fit in” Sam adds, to which Bucky flicks him in the side of the head._

_Giggling at their antics, I tell them, “You know, you two are real cute together”._

_Sam scoffs, “Barnes wishes”._

_“Only in your dreams, Wilson” Bucky retorts with a snort, and before the other superhero can reply, Bucky loops his arm through mine and walks me in the direction of the bar. After ordering and receiving our drinks, we sit at the bar quietly for a moment to sip before he asks, “So how are you holding up?”._

_“I’m alright, just tired from all the missions, and if it wasn’t for Wanda tonight, I would be in my bed watching Jess and Nick fall in love” I say._

_“Hm, even though I enjoy their relationship, Schmitt and Cece are what get me through the seasons” Bucky informs me, and I hit his shoulder lightly with an amused gasp._

_“You watch New Girl?” I asked, interested in his answer._

_“Uh yeah, after you made Steve watched it, he couldn't stop talking about it” he replies, and I nod in understanding before he adds, "Well, really he couldn't stop talking about you, not so much the show" . I snort at that before realising that I hadn’t seen the other super soldier at the party yet. Taking a sip of my drink, I subtly try to scan the room in an attempt to see if I can find him, but when I can’t, I can feel my eyebrows furrow. “He’s not here yet”._

_“Hm?”_

_Bucky puts his beer on the counter and moves in slightly closer to me, “Steve, he uh, he isn’t here yet”._

_“Oh really? I hadn’t noticed” I try, and the look he gives me is one which tells me he isn’t buying any of my bullshit._

_“I wanted to let you know, before you have it sprung on you” he begins, sincerity on his features, before he explains, “Steve’s bringing a date”._

_The look of indifference on my face should be honoured with an award, “Is he? That’s good for him, it’s been a while hasn’t it?”. But Bucky just raises an eyebrow that has me groaning, “What is it with everyone, Steve and I are fine, I’m happy for him, really”._

_Bucky whistles, “Well for one, I never mentioned anything about you and Steve”._

_“Has anyone ever told you that your annoying?” I say, but with a smile on my lips so that he knows I’m not being serious._

_Resting a comforting hand on my shoulder he tells me, “I just thought you should know” before he nods towards the entrance._

_Taking a deep breath, I turn my head and look to where he gestures, and I feel my stomach drop. “She’s pretty” is all I say._

_Feeling a soft squeeze, Bucky tells me sincerely, “So are you”._

Natasha looks almost surprised, _almost_, “So, you were jealous?”, and when I shrug, the red head lets out a small laugh, “I don’t understand, why don’t you just tell him how you feel?”.

“I did” I reply, and after a moment of quiet between us two I continue, “Tell him, about how I feel”.

Nat looks almost shy as she questions, “And?”

“And it was like he couldn’t get away fast enough”, my eyes leave hers and gaze up at the night sky, as tears threaten to surface. Closing them for a moment, I let out an amused scoff before looking back at her, “God, and you know what? I can’t even blame him, I mean, imagine just having someone blurt out the fact that they’re in love with you, with no prior warning. I’d run away too”.

“Oh, Зайчик”, she moves closer and lays her hand atop of mine on the balcony railing.

“It’s okay, really, he deserves to be happy with someone, even if it’s not with me” I reply, leaning my head against her shoulder. The one thing that I could always count on, was the sense of comfort I’ve always felt with Nat.

Giving my hand a squeeze, she asks, “What happened after you saw them come in?”

_“Hi, it’s so nice to meet you! I’m a really big fan”, Bernie, whose name I learnt five seconds prior greets, as she happily shakes my hand._

_Offering her a smile I tell her, “It’s good to meet you too, your dress is beautiful”. I had been sitting with Bruce, Maria, and Thor when they had come over, Steve introducing her generally to us all before offering to go get himself and his date a drink._

_“Thank you! Honestly, it’s so nice to dress up for a change, I’m normally in a pair of overalls” she informs me._

_Intrigued I ask, “What is it that you do?”_

_“Oh! I’m a glass blower, I own my own factory” she answers, and by the crinkles by her eyes, I can tell it’s something she’s passionate about._

_“A glass blower? Is that how you and Cap met?”, it’s Maria that wonders._

_Shaking her head, the beautiful brunette replies, “I actually live in the apartment below his in Brooklyn, we crossed paths in the stairway one day because the elevator was broken”._

_Oh, how the irony isn’t lost on me, I think as I gulp down the last of my red wine._

_“Here you go”, I hear his voice to the left of me, next to her, and though I make no movement to acknowledge his presence, the hairs on my arms still stand up as I realise it was the closest we had been in weeks._

_“Thanks Steve!” Bernie responds, with the sound of a gracious grin to go with it. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see him sit down on the seat next to his date and I think she is the only one who doesn’t immediately feel a slight tension. I can see it in the way that Bruce and Maria glance at each other, and the way that Thor gives me one of his kindest smiles, if that was even possible for the big teddy bear that he’s known to be._

_“So, what are we all chatting about?” the blonde enquires, and I hope that my features look as nonchalant as his voice sounds._

_“Bernie was just telling us about how you met” I speak up, braving the confidence to look over at him. The only indication that Steve was surprised to hear me speak to him is the slight widening of his eyes. I can feel my lips giving him a small smile, a peace offering of sorts so that this night can go as smooth as possible._

_Before Steve can reply, Bernie jumps in, “I hadn’t gotten to the part about how you finally worked up the courage to ask me out”._

_The rest of the group chuckles, but all I can focus on are Steve’s eyes, which haven’t left mine since he heard my voice. Those eyes, which have me falling back into a memory, as he paints forget-me-nots on my back one early morning after telling him they were my favourite flowers. I didn’t have the heart to tell him then, the only reason why they were, was because they reminded me of his eyes. _

_The sound of his voice has me breaking out of my reverie, “Well, you know me, I’m not the best when it comes to going after the things I really want”, is all he says, and by the nostalgia laced through his tone, has me thinking that maybe, he was remembering that night too._

_“Man out of time” I say softly, to which he nods subtly. Realising that everyone around us had gone quiet, I break my stare and clear my throat, “I’m gonna go get another drink” I say and as I stand up, I turn to Bernie, “It was really nice meeting you tonight, Bernie. I hope you two take good care of each other”._

_She smiles, only it doesn’t reach her eyes like it did earlier, “You too, thank you. Enjoy your night”._

_Walking away, I catch Tony’s eye out the corner of mine, he looks concerned for a moment and I send a smile his way. It’s only when I walk out of the party, I feel the cool air hit my face and realise that a tear was falling from my eye._

“And then you found me” I tell her, letting go of her hand and reaching over to grab my drink.

The red head hums for a moment, “I think you’ve been up in your mind for too long, Зайчик. The void between you and Steve, has been filled with your self-doubts”.

Defensively I reply, “No, that’s not it at all. Steve moved on, well, I guess he never really had to move on because he never felt anything”.

“You’re really going to keep being so stubborn about this?” she questions me, and the two of us stand to face each other.

“I’m not being stubborn about anything Nat, it is what it is” I shrug.

She snorts, “That’s bullshit, and you know it. What about all the times Steve tried talking to you after that night? The Sunday morning after the party, he waited outside your room for four hours before realising you were in Wanda’s room. Or the time a week later when he waited up til 6am for when you came back from the mission, only for you to skip past the kitchen, which you never do by the way, and go straight to your room? Or what about the other twenty times he tried?”.

“That’s not true-”

“Yes it is, and I know because I had watch as he followed you around like a lost puppy dog waiting for you to notice him again” she pauses on her rant before taking a deep breath, “You know that I will always be there for you, but I’m also here to knock some sense into you when you need it most”.

I look up towards the stars in the sky, they were always what I looked to when I needed to ground myself, it served as a way to distract me from the tears that are welling up once more before letting my attention fall back onto my best friend, “Nat…”

“I know you’re hurting right now, but avoiding the problem isn’t going to make it go away. You need to talk to him, get his side of the story so that you two can work this out. Because whether or not he feels the same, you don’t want to lose him forever”, and it’s that last part that makes me realise something. 

“I have to go” I tell her.

“Well finally”.

Before I leave her, I put my hand on her arm and squeeze it gently, “Thank you, Nat”.

She covers my hand with hers and replies, “Always. Now go!”.

Smiling, I let go of her and make my way back in towards the party, only to realise that the only people left were the cleaning crew, a few of the other Avengers, and Bernie? But no Steve. Chewing on my bottom lip, I search over the room with my eyes one last time before I feel a presence next to me, “The old man went to bed”.

Turning I look over to see Tony who has a mischievous smirk to his features, and a drink in his hand, “Well, he is a hundred, ya know” I joke.

He snickers, before tilting his head and asking, “You okay, Kiddo?”.

“I will be”.

** _Knock! Knock! Knock!_ **

“I miss you” is the first thing that comes out of my mouth when he opens the door, “And I hate that I made things weird between us, but Steve, I really just miss having you in my life, in whatever capacity that may be. I can’t keep going on with this silence between us, so I’m just going to ask this once, just so we can go back to normal”, and once he finally realises what’s happening I ask, “Can we please pretend that what happened between us six weeks ago, never happened? We can start new, and forget that I ever said anything”.

It’s quiet for a moment, long enough that I’m contemplating turning around and running as far away as I possibly can, yet short enough that I can feel my blood pumping in my veins and my ears ringing out as soon as he answers with, “No”.

Blinking widely like I imagine a baby deer would, I manager to stutter, “I, uh, huh?”.

“I’m an idiot” he tells me, stepping forward, “I never should’ve left you alone in the elevator that night. It’s just, when you told me that you loved me, it was as if every possible insecurity came rushing to the surface”.

“Steve-”

He holds my hands and brings them between us, “Please, let me get this out” he asks and at my go ahead, he continues, “I fell in love with you when we were staying in that little cottage in Sicily”.

You know that feeling, of when you dive under water and everything is silent for a moment? And then, you run out of air, so you swim to the surface and suddenly everything sounds louder, your vision is clearer, your heart is racing, and your gasping for breath? Hearing Steve Rogers admit that he was in love with me, felt exactly like that.

“I remember walking outside, and you were laying down on a picnic blanket, looking up at the stars and when you asked me to join you just so you could tell me about your favourite constellation, all I could focus on was the way that the moonlight made your eyes shine brighter. I thought, I’d give anything to have you look at me the same way you looked at the stars” he breathes out.

“I’m sorry” I tell him, and before he can tell me not to apologise I let go of his hands so that I can reach up and hold his face in my palms and bring myself closer to him, “I’m not sorry for telling you I love you, because I do. I’m irrevocably in love with you, Rogers. But I’m so sorry that I’ve spent the past six weeks running away from you”.

He shakes his head, “It doesn’t matter, because you’re here now. We’re here now, and we have forever to make up for it”.

“Forever huh? Seems like an awfully long time” I wonder, and Steve nods with a smile as he wraps his hands around my wrists and maneuvers me so that my arms are around his waist, and now his warm hands are against my cheeks.

“Not long enough” is the last thing he says before leaning in and pressing his lips against mine. It’s soft and gentle, comforting in a way that words weren’t, and a wave of warmth flows through my veins, as it pours from his heart and floods every part of my body. Everything is Steve, as he completely invades all of my senses.

When we finally pull apart, I open my eyes to find his still closed, a blissful smile gracing his features that makes me giggle. Steve’s eyes open and his thumb runs along my bottom lip delicately, as he looks at me with an intensity that is so wholly Steve. As our breaths mingle, he promises, “My heart is, and always will be, yours”.

It takes me a moment to realise before I laugh contently, “Ugh, you’re such a cliché, Stevie”.

He chuckles as his nose bumps against mine, his lips move gently against mine as he lightly shrugs, “You love it”.

Unable to help myself, I kiss him once more before whispering, “Yeah, I do.”

Steve grins boyishly, and looking up into his eyes, all I can see are the stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: ahhh I hope this was okay.. I really wanted to write a part two so that these two could get a happy ending, but it was so difficult since I’ve been dealing with some serious writers block as of recent.. anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading, thank you xo


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